Non-driveable vehicles
Cars that will not roll, steer or hold a straight line, loaded by winch or on skates.
Accident Recovery
24/7 Accident Recovery
Been in an accident? Make the scene safe first, then call us. We recover damaged and non-driveable vehicles 24 hours a day.
Available 24/7
Fixed Price Before We Start
Fully Insured
24/7 AvailableDay or night
Fast DispatchNearest team
Fixed PriceBefore we start
Wide-AreaFlexible coverage
Quick Answer
SureWay provides 24/7 accident recovery through our service network. Once the scene is safe, we load damaged and non-driveable vehicles using a winch or skates and move them to a bodyshop, your home, or the destination your insurer needs. You get a fixed price before any work starts.
Service Detail
The first ten minutes matter more than the recovery.
Recovery is the easy part. What happens in the minutes straight after an impact decides whether anyone gets hurt and whether your claim goes smoothly. Get the vehicle out of the running lane if it still moves, put the hazards on, and get everyone out on the side away from traffic. Then photograph the scene before anything is moved, take the other driver's registration, name and insurer, and note the time and road. Only once that is done is it worth thinking about the car itself.
Important safety note
If anyone is injured, the road is blocked, or the other driver has left the scene, call 999 first. On a motorway or dual carriageway get everyone behind the barrier before you do anything at all, including exchanging details. A damaged car can be replaced.
- Real arrival time before dispatch
- Fixed price before work starts
- Recovery to your chosen destination when needed
Accident Recovery
24/7 support through our service network.
What's Included
Accident recovery situations we handle
Every call starts with your location, vehicle condition, clear pricing and the safest next step.
Non-fault recovery
Vehicles recovered while a claim against the other driver's insurer is being opened.
Police-instructed recovery
Vehicles cleared from a carriageway under police direction after an incident.
Recovery to a bodyshop
Direct delivery to the repairer you or your insurer has chosen.
Recovery to your home
When you need the car off the road while you decide what happens next.
Storage arrangements
If the vehicle needs somewhere to sit while a claim is settled, we agree the destination with you before loading.
How It Works
A clear process from first call to safe delivery.
01
Make the scene safe
Hazards on, everyone out on the safe side, behind a barrier on fast roads.
02
Call us with the location
Road name or number, junction, and whether the car still rolls and steers.
03
Vehicle assessed for loading
We check wheels, steering and body damage to decide between driving on, winching or skates.
04
Loaded and secured
Damaged vehicles are strapped at the wheels so no load goes through bent bodywork.
05
Delivered where it needs to go
Bodyshop, your home, or the site your insurer has nominated.
Coverage
Recovery through our service network.
SureWay provides car recovery, towing and roadside assistance for motorways, A-roads, city streets, town roads and rural routes.
Cost
Who pays for accident recovery.
This is the question drivers ask first and rarely get a straight answer to. It depends on fault and on what your policy actually covers, so it is worth knowing before you authorise anything.
If the accident was not your fault
Recovery is normally recoverable from the other driver's insurer as part of your claim. Speak to your own insurer or broker before you agree to anything, because they will usually want the claim opened first and may have a view on where the vehicle goes.
If you were at fault
Whether recovery is covered depends on your policy. Comprehensive cover often includes it; third party only usually does not. Check the policy wording or call your insurer before authorising the job.
If you are paying directly
You get a fixed price from us before any work begins, based on the vehicle, its condition, where it is and where it is going. No work starts until you have agreed that figure.
If the police instructed the recovery
Where a vehicle is blocking a carriageway or is a hazard, recovery may be arranged under police direction rather than by you. Different rules apply to that, and the vehicle usually goes to a designated site rather than a destination of your choosing.
Road Types
Common accident recovery locations.
Knowing the road, direction of travel and nearest junction helps the recovery team find you faster.
Motorways and smart motorways
High-speed collisions may need the carriageway made safe before recovery can attend. If anyone is injured or a vehicle is in a live lane, call 999 first.
Dual carriageways
Fast approaches, merging traffic and limited stopping space can make a damaged vehicle hazardous. Move behind a barrier when it is safe to do so.
City centres and ring roads
Busy junctions, frequent lane changes and restricted access can leave even a low-speed collision blocking traffic. Share a precise landmark or postcode when you call.
Junction approaches and slip roads
A vehicle stopped on a slip road is a serious hazard. Put your hazards on, get behind a barrier where possible and tell us the motorway, junction and direction of travel.
FAQ
Questions about accident recovery.
Safety first. If the car still moves, get it out of the running lane. Hazards on, everyone out on the side away from traffic, and behind the barrier if you are on a motorway or dual carriageway. Then photograph the scene, take the other driver's registration, name and insurer, and note the time and location. Call 999 if anyone is hurt, the road is blocked, or the other driver leaves.
It depends on fault and on your policy. If the accident was not your fault, recovery is normally recoverable from the other driver's insurer as part of your claim. If you were at fault, comprehensive policies often cover it and third party only usually does not. If you are paying directly, we give you a fixed price before we start.
Where you safely can, yes. Insurers usually want the claim opened first and may have a view on where the vehicle should go, particularly if they have an approved repairer. If the car is in a dangerous position, deal with the danger first and sort the paperwork afterwards.
Yes. Locked or buckled wheels are normal after an impact. We use a winch to bring the vehicle onto the bed, and skates under wheels that will not turn. Damaged vehicles are secured at the wheels rather than the bodywork, so no strap load goes through panels that are already bent.
Wherever you need it, as long as we agree it before loading: a bodyshop, your insurer's approved repairer, your home, or a storage site while the claim is settled. If the police have directed the recovery, the destination is usually set by them rather than by you.
Yes, on a flatbed. If the traction battery has been struck, or there is smoke, a chemical smell or hissing from under the car, treat it as an emergency and call 999. A damaged battery can reignite hours later, and we will not move it until the fire service says it is safe.
Related Services
Plan the right next step.
Use these internal links to find related recovery, towing and roadside help.
Broken down? Help is one call away.
Tell us where you are and we'll send the nearest recovery team with a clear arrival time and a fixed price before we start.